Refrigeration apparatus

ABSTRACT

An improved refrigeration apparatus comprising motorized shelving and drawers structured and arranged to extend and retract with the simple pressing of a button to provide all consumers, particularly those who suffer arthritis, back pain, limited mobility or other maladies with a more practical appliance designed to provide easy and safe access to items stored within.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is related to and claims priority from prior provisional application Ser. No. 62/462,319, filed Feb. 22, 2017 which application is incorporated herein by reference.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 37 CFR 1.71(d).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention(s). It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art, or material, to the presently described or claimed inventions, or that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of refrigerators with slide out drawers and more specifically relates to an improved refrigeration apparatus comprising motorized shelving and drawers structured and arranged to extend and retract with the simple pressing of a button to provide all consumers, particularly those who suffer arthritis, back pain, limited mobility or other maladies with a more practical appliance designed to provide easy and safe access to items stored within.

2. Description of the Related Art

The Ice Man is all but a part of history now. Fewer and fewer are the old timers to be found who still remember blocks of ice weighing two hundred pounds clopping up to their front doors each week in horse drawn wooden wagons. Insulating the massive blocks of ice from the summer's heat, only generous applications of sawdust. Pick in hand, the “ice man” would chisel off a block of ice suitable for the customer's ice box, take his pay, bid a good day and continue on his appointed rounds. Looking back on these times it becomes apparent that the ice man and the early ice box were certainly a boon to consumers. Without dehydrating, salting, canning or any other means of preservation, perishable food items could remain fresh and good much longer than ever before. The ice box greatly reduced the amount of foods wasted by spoilage or from becoming tainted with bacteria. Today, of course, it would be unheard of to run a household without benefit of an electric refrigerator/freezer.

While the refrigerator is an excellent tool for keeping perishable food items fresh, there are certain drawbacks associated with their use. Simply stated, although a refrigerator is an undeniable convenience, many consumers experience difficulty accessing goods stored within, simply because they are suffer from back pain, limited mobility or other maladies that hinder free movement. As can be imagined, stooping over to retrieve items from a crisper drawer located at the bottom of a refrigerator can be a painful endeavor for one who suffers chronic back pain. Similarly, a senior citizen may find it nearly impossible to access good stored in a bottom freezer compartment, simply because they lack the agility to fully bend their knees and reach into the freezer cavity. Should one overexert themselves when attempting to reach for an item stored deep within a refrigerator or freezer compartment, the result can be that they exacerbate an existing injury or suffer a new strain or pulled muscle as a result. Considering that most consumers retrieve items from their refrigerator throughout the day, being unable to easily and comfortably access goods can be an extremely frustrating situation.

Various attempts have been made to solve problems found in refrigerators with slide out drawers art. Among these are found in: U.S. Pat. No. 2,829,022 to Lewis Roy E; U.S. Pat. No. 8,459,759 to Byeong-Gyu Kang; and U.S. Publication No. 2006/0043853 to Sung Chung. This prior art is representative of refrigerators with motorized slide out drawers for ease of use for disabled and elderly people.

Ideally, an improved refrigeration apparatus should be user-friendly and safe in-use and, yet should operate reliably and be manufactured at a modest expense. Thus, a need exists for an improved refrigeration apparatus comprising motorized shelving and drawers that structured and arranged to extend and retract with the simple pressing of a button to provide all consumers, particularly those who suffer arthritis, back pain, limited mobility or other maladies with a more practical appliance designed to provide easy and safe access to items stored within and to avoid the above-mentioned problems.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known refrigerators with slide out drawers art, the present invention provides an Improved Refrigeration Apparatus. The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail is to provide an improved refrigeration apparatus comprising motorized shelving and drawers that structured and arranged to extend and retract with the simple pressing of a button to provide all consumers, particularly those who suffer arthritis, back pain, limited mobility or other maladies with a more practical appliance designed to provide easy and safe access to items stored within.

An improved refrigeration apparatus comprising: plurality of insulated walls; a plurality of shelves; a plurality of drawers; a plurality of motor members; and a plurality of control members. The plurality of insulated walls include two insulated side walls spaced from one another, each having a series of vertically spaced, parallel guide tracks extending horizontally thereon. Wherein the plurality of insulated walls form an interior volume.

The plurality of shelves, each include a pair of spaced side edge portions adapted to be linearly movable upon respective chosen spaced, parallel guide tracks; and a linear gear member extending along one of the pair of spaced side edge portions, and including a series of spaced gear teeth thereon.

The plurality of drawers, each include a pair of spaced side edge portions adapted to be linearly movable upon respective chosen spaced, parallel guide tracks; and a linear gear member extending along one of the pair of spaced side edge portions, and including a series of spaced gear teeth thereon.

The plurality of motor members each include a motor and a sprocket gear rotatably connected to and rotatably driven by the motor. Wherein respective motor members are attached to at least one of the two insulated side walls adjacent to each of said series of vertically spaced, parallel guide tracks thereon. Wherein each of the plurality of motor members are adapted to mechanically contact and linearly move a respective linear gear member of a respective one of the plurality of shelves and the plurality of drawers, to thereby individually linearly move each of the plurality of shelves and the plurality of drawers upon respective spaced, parallel guide tracks.

The plurality of control members including: an outward switch and an inward switch. Wherein when the outward switch is pressed a respective motor member moves a respective one of the plurality of shelves and said plurality of drawers outwardly from the interior volume for access thereto. Wherein when the inward switch is pressed the respective motor member moves the respective one of the plurality of shelves and the plurality of drawers inwardly into the interior volume. Wherein each of the plurality of control members are attached to the insulated side wall adjacent to each respective said plurality of motor members, and are electrically connected to and control each respective the plurality of motor members.

The present invention holds significant improvements and serves as an improved refrigeration apparatus. For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and method(s) of use for the present invention, an Improved Refrigeration Apparatus, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view illustrating an Improved Refrigeration Apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view illustrating a plurality of motor members located on both plurality of drawers and a plurality of shelves of the Improved Refrigeration Apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a plurality of control members of the Improved Refrigeration Apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the Improved Refrigeration Apparatus in an in-use condition according to an embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 1.

The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to refrigerators with slide out drawers and more specifically relates to an improved refrigeration apparatus comprising motorized shelving and drawers that structured and arranged to extend and retract with the simple pressing of a button to provide all consumers, particularly those who suffer arthritis, back pain, limited mobility or other maladies with a more practical appliance designed to provide easy and safe access to items stored within.

Generally speaking, the Improved Refrigeration Apparatus comprises a specially designed enhanced refrigerator featuring motorized shelving and drawers that are able to extend and retract with the simple pressing of a button.

The refrigerator itself could be the standard variety household appliance, a full-size top-freezer refrigerator configuration loaded with features like an ice production system, a base-grille water filtration system, and an internal water dispenser; this product could also be produced in a dual-door system, with one side accorded to refrigerated items and the other designated as the freezer. Yet, unique to the Improved Refrigeration Apparatus and what sets this product apart from standard appliances is its “self-serve” attributes. This would be achieved via a motor system installed within the walls of this refrigerator. The motor would power the various shelves and drawers located inside the appliance, which would operate on tracks that allow these sections to be extended outward, and retracted back in, by pressing one of two buttons located on a touch pad that is synched to the Improved Refrigeration Apparatus motor system. As such, a user would press an “OUT” button, and a desired shelf or drawer would automatically extend outward, permitting immediate and unencumbered access to any needed items. Crisper and other storage drawers, as well as freezer drawers, would operate in the same manner; automatically opening on command so that a user can effortlessly grab meat products or a can of chilled soda, etc. The drawers and shelves can be just as easily replaced in their original positions by pressing the appropriate “IN” button on the touch pad.

The Improved Refrigeration Apparatus will preferably provide consumers a simpler and more comfortable means of accessing perishable foods, beverages, and frozen items stored within a refrigerator/freezer. A cleverly designed appliance with automated shelving and drawers, the Improved Refrigeration Apparatus will preferably effectively eliminate the need to lean, stretch, extend, and bend, in order to access goods which may be stored too far out of reach. With all refrigerator and freezer compartments found in the Improved Refrigeration Apparatus designed to be accessed without having to over reach or uncomfortably extend one's body, use of this product would spare the user the physical exertion and hassles associated with traditional refrigerator designs.

Specifically, those who suffer chronic or occasional back pain, limited mobility, or those who simply can't reach, could easily access items within the refrigerator, on their own and unassisted. As such, this refrigerator could prevent exacerbation of existing injuries or new muscle strains and injuries that could otherwise result. Sparing the user the need to call for assistance to retrieve a desired food item, the Improved Refrigeration Apparatus will preferably also offer the user a great measure of independence. Sleek in design and practical in function, the Improved Refrigeration Apparatus should be well received by all household consumers, and especially those with mobility challenges, a very sizable market potential.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, showing perspective views illustrating improved refrigeration apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 1

Improved refrigeration apparatus 100 comprising: plurality of insulated walls 110; plurality of shelves 200; a plurality of drawers 240; a plurality of motor members 280; and plurality of control members 300. Plurality of insulated walls 110 include two insulated side walls spaced from one another, each having a series of vertically spaced, parallel guide tracks 116 extending horizontally thereon. Wherein plurality of insulated walls 110 form interior volume 120. Wherein plurality of insulated walls 110 includes door member 130 pivotally attached to an adjacent one of said plurality of insulated walls 110 and adapted to removably enclose interior volume 110.

Plurality of shelves 200, each include a pair of spaced side edge portions 210 adapted to be linearly movable upon respective chosen spaced, parallel guide tracks 116; and linear gear member 220 extending along one of the pair of spaced side edge portions 210, and including series of spaced gear teeth 224 thereon.

Plurality of drawers 240, each include pair of spaced side edge portions 250 adapted to be linearly movable upon respective chosen spaced, parallel guide tracks 116; and linear gear member 260 extending along one of the pair of spaced side edge portions 250, and including a series of spaced gear teeth thereon 264.

Plurality of motor members 280 each include motor 286 and sprocket gear 292 rotatably connected to and rotatably driven by motor 286 as shown in FIG. 2. Wherein each of motors 286 of the plurality of motor members 280 is an electric motor. Wherein respective motor members 280 are attached to at least one of the two insulated side walls 110 adjacent to each of said series of vertically spaced, parallel guide tracks 116 thereon. Wherein each of the plurality of motor members 280 are adapted to mechanically contact and linearly move a respective linear gear member 220 of a respective one of the plurality of shelves 200 and linear gear member 260 of plurality of drawers 240, to thereby individually linearly move each of the plurality of shelves 200 and plurality of drawers 240 upon respective spaced, parallel guide tracks 116.

Wherein each of plurality of shelves 200 includes front edge portion 230 including lip portion 234 and plurality of drawers 240 include front edge portion 270 including lip portion 274 adapted to be gripped by person 450 for manually pushing and pulling plurality of shelves 200 and plurality of drawers 240 as shown in in-use condition 400 of FIG. 4. Wherein lip portion 234 of plurality of shelves 200 is approximately 1 and ⅕-inch in height to prevent items from falling off of plurality of shelves 200 while person 450 is manually pushing and pulling plurality of shelves 200. Wherein plurality of shelves 200 and plurality of drawers 240 are formed from a material chosen from a list of materials consisting of plastic, glass, and ceramic.

Plurality of control members 300 include: outward switch 310 and inward switch 330. Wherein when outward switch 310 is pressed a respective motor member 280 moves a respective one of plurality of shelves 200 and plurality of drawers 240 outwardly from interior volume 120 for access thereto. Wherein when inward switch 330 is pressed, respective motor member 280 moves the respective one of plurality of shelves 200 and plurality of drawers 240 inwardly into interior volume 120. Wherein each of plurality of control members 300 are attached to insulated side wall 110 adjacent to each respective plurality of motor members 280, and are electrically connected to and control each respective plurality of motor members 280.

Improved refrigeration apparatus 100 further comprising water filtration system 150 as shown in FIG. 1. Improved refrigeration apparatus 100 further comprising water dispenser apparatus 160 as shown in FIG. 1. Improved refrigeration apparatus 100 further comprising ice production system 170 as shown in FIG. 1.

Improved refrigeration apparatus 100 further comprising electric power source 410 as shown in FIG. 4. Wherein electric power source 410 includes electric power cord 420 attachable to an external power source. Improved refrigeration apparatus 100 further comprising refrigeration mechanism 430 including compressor member 434 electrically connected to power source 410. Wherein electric power source 410 is electrically connected to each plurality of control members 300.

The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An improved refrigeration apparatus comprising: a plurality of insulated walls including: two insulated side walls spaced from one another, each including: a series of vertically spaced, parallel guide tracks extending horizontally thereon; wherein said plurality of insulated walls form an interior volume; a plurality of shelves, each including: a pair of spaced side edge portions adapted to be linearly movable upon respective chosen spaced, parallel guide tracks; and a linear gear member extending along one of said pair of spaced side edge portions, and including a series of spaced gear teeth thereon; a plurality of drawers, each including: a pair of spaced side edge portions adapted to be linearly movable upon respective chosen spaced, parallel guide tracks; and a linear gear member extending along one of said pair of spaced side edge portions, and including a series of spaced gear teeth thereon; a plurality of motor members, each including: a motor; and a sprocket gear rotatably connected to and rotatably driven by said motor; wherein respective motor members are attached to at least one of said two insulated side walls adjacent to each of said series of vertically spaced, parallel guide tracks thereon, and wherein each of said plurality of motor members are adapted to mechanically contact and linearly move a respective said linear gear member of a respective one of said plurality of shelves and said plurality of drawers, to thereby individually linearly move each of said plurality of shelves and said plurality of drawers upon respective said spaced, parallel guide tracks; and a plurality of control members including: an outward switch; wherein when said outward switch is pressed a respective motor member moves a respective one of said plurality of shelves and said plurality of drawers outwardly from said interior volume for access thereto; and an inward switch; wherein when said inward switch is pressed said respective motor member moves said respective one of said plurality of shelves and said plurality of drawers inwardly into said interior volume; wherein each of said plurality of control members are attached to said insulated side wall adjacent to each respective said plurality of motor members, and are electrically connected to and control each respective said plurality of motor members.
 2. The improved refrigeration apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a water filtration system.
 3. The improved refrigeration apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a water dispenser apparatus.
 4. The improved refrigeration apparatus of claim 2, further comprising an ice production system.
 5. The improved refrigeration apparatus of claim 1, wherein each said motor of said plurality of motor members is an electric motor.
 6. The improved refrigeration apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of shelves and said plurality of drawers include a front edge portion including a lip portion adapted to be gripped by a person for manually pushing and pulling said plurality of shelves and said plurality of drawers.
 7. The improved refrigeration apparatus of claim 1, wherein said plurality of shelves and said plurality of drawers are formed from a material chosen from a list of materials consisting of plastic, glass, and ceramic.
 8. The improved refrigeration apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an electric power source.
 9. The improved refrigeration apparatus of claim 8, wherein said electric power source includes an electric power cord attachable to an external power source.
 10. The improved refrigeration apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a refrigeration mechanism including a compressor member electrically connected to said power source.
 11. The improved refrigeration apparatus of claim 8, wherein said electric power source is electrically connected to each said plurality of control members.
 12. The improved refrigeration apparatus of claim 1, wherein said plurality of insulated walls includes a door member pivotally attached to an adjacent one of said plurality of insulated walls and adapted to removably enclose said interior volume. 